The Dark Hour
by Age
Summary: Edward grapples with his decision to remain in Bella’s life and the danger it brings. But when it is Edward who is hunted by the darkest of all demons, roles will be reversed as human Bella goes against the odds to keep Edward Cullen alive.
1. The Hike to Falls Creek

**The Dark Hour**

* * *

Takes place roughly two months after Twilight ends.

Summary: Edward grapples with his decision to remain in Bella's life and the danger it brings. But when it is Edward who is hunted by the darkest of all demons, will he regret not changing Bella? Roles will be reversed as human Bella goes against the odds to keep her love alive.

* * *

The thundering fall of water, plummeting from the green mountain was enough to wash away all other sound in creation, but it was no match to the bubbling thoughts slamming around the mind of Bella Swan. She was hiking with her friends – not exactly by her own accord – already two miles away from her beastly truck. She was an unknown distance from Edward Cullen, her vampire boyfriend who had been finding ways to detach himself from her at an alarming rate.

Her slight back cradled a backpack and a rolled sleeping bag. She didn't struggle under the weight but coupled with her natural clumsiness, the added bulk made her awkwardly more unbalanced on her feet. Jessica, Mike, Angela, and Eric hopped along the trail in front of her.

Edward had left to hunt yesterday, encouraging her to spend time in a normal world while he was gone. Normal was his new favorite word, it seemed. All summer long, if Edward wasn't staring off into his thoughts, he was pushing Bella away to the movies with Angela and Jessica. He insisted she spend evenings with her father. Edward even told her to join her friends at Mike Newton's birthday party.

"Smile!" Angela called loudly, ripping Bella from the remembered events of the past two months. She stopped biting her lower lip enough to spread a thin smile across her ivory face as her friend snapped a picture. "Isn't this beautiful?" Angela screamed in order to be heard over the thousands of gallons of water that fell over the boulders nearby. Falls Creek Falls _was _beautiful. Even a preoccupied Bella admitted that, but she had no room in her thoughts to relish the current scenery. She was beginning to understand – with panic simmering in her veins – that Edward was getting ready to leave her.

The ground steepened ahead. Her sneaker touched a wet rock, and when she placed her weight down, she slipped forward onto her knees. Bella quickly picked herself up before the others ahead of her noticed. Evening was almost upon them, the gray clouds growing darker as night set in. She wondered momentarily if it was such a safe idea to be so close to the falls at night's approach, but she was quickly sidetracked back into thoughts of Edward.

_He thinks I'm at Angela's house for the night_, Bella remembered. _Or maybe he's watching me right now_. A swell of hope raced into her chest, but she quickly beat it down. He had spent the two months after school let out trying to escape intimacy with her; why would he even dwell secretly when keeping distance from her? She sighed but the booming falls swallowed the sound as soon as it escaped her lips. No, Edward was not there with her. Edward was hunting to fill his bloody needs. Edward would continue to do the things and live his life the way he had for the last eighty years before she ever showed up in it.

Bella bit her bottom lip again, hard. She was unable to shake the realization that she had become too big of a complication for Edward to handle. He had promised to stay with her when she was in the hospital after James' attack. But things change. Edward had always told her. Things change.

And so, she forged on behind her friends, awkwardly making her way up the rocky ground, darkened by the fine mist that had begun to sprinkle down.

"Hurry, Bella!" Mike shouted from the lead. The last fragments of light from the day trickled around them and showed the foggy clouds that hid the grand bowl of water twenty-five feet below them, where the cascades pooled together. She didn't like being in the woods without him, and as she struggled even more so with the wet terrain, she guessed Edward wouldn't have been thrilled about it either.

*****

Jasper kissed the thin skin on the back of Alice's hand as they sat together on third level deck at the Cullen home, relishing another day spent. They had used the time to scale the trees, tumble down mountains, and simply delight in the company of each other. Even if every day had been the same, it would always feel glorious to him. He grinned again at the purity radiating off of his pixie's face.

Alice's eyes lost focus just then, and Jasper erected his senses. "What is it?" He felt her petite frame tighten in his grip.

"We have to go back to the forest!" she breathed and lunged from the house. "Bella needs us." Jasper leaped up and off the deck after her, knowing it was time to worry when Alice didn't even stop to alert Esme of this newest development.

*****

Emmett approached his brother, who had been scowling at seemingly nothing but the air in front of him for close to two hours. Night had just fallen. Emmett clasped branch after branch, hurling himself up almost a hundred feet in seconds. He landed on a massive branch beside Edward as hundreds of pine needles descended toward the forest floor beneath them. "So what has Bella been doing in your absence?" he asked casually, but knowing there was nothing casual when it came to Edwards thoughts concerning the small human girl.

Edward shrugged.

"She hasn't been at the house in weeks, Edward. Not to complain, because Rosalie's mood has certainly been much improved. But you mope more than before she ever showed up. What gives?"

Emmett did not overlook the pain that traced the corners of his brother's eyes. He glanced away, respectfully.

"Bella is seventeen. She will get over the novelty of our kind sooner or later."

"I thought she was part of the family now. After all that you two went through over James. I know you love her, brother."

"Can we not talk about this right now, Emmett? Please?" Edward gritted his teeth as he asked. Emmett was about to object when Edward's head snapped up to the sky intently. No moon and no stars lit the forest that night. The brothers didn't need them, though. They saw each other and the conifers towering around them as clearly as if flood lights filled the woods. Edward seemed panicked. And Emmett had only ever seen Edward panic over one thing. One person.

"Alice is coming. She's nearby with Jasper," Edward spoke quietly. Emmett waited patiently for the flow of information to continue. He brushed tree sap away from his finger and crouched onto his toes, ready to jump. Edward seemed to choke on his own breath as his eyes widened. Without another word, he dropped himself out of the tree, leaving Emmett no choice but to follow.

******

Bella was cold and dripping wet. Mike was encouraging them all to get to the highest part of the three-tier water fall. He promised a small, grassy clearing where they could camp. Why anyone would want to camp in the rain went beyond Bella. She grunted a little as she tried taking the black stones two at a time to bridge the gap between her and the others. Not such a good idea, she soon realized. She found herself thrusting her arms out every other second to hold on to her last shreds of balance. The moon suddenly showed itself; it had been absent since nightfall. The blue light bounced off the fog and reflected a dim glow into the air. She could at least see in front of her now. She was over twenty paces behind Angela.

Not wanting to be left further behind, she pushed herself up, using her hands to hoist her body up over a boulder. As she straightened back up, her right foot ever-so-slightly slipped off the edge of the wet rock and sent her body collapsing back down. She landed with a small thud on her left ankle before tipping off the rock completely. Her arms flailed. Her fingernails frantically scratched at the blackness, but the rock was perfectly smooth, and so she slid. Nothing but small, quivering yelp flew from her lips before she fell backwards into the night air.

Moonlight spilled over the wild scene now. Jessica turned around in time to see Bella fall backwards. She screamed louder than Bella ever could. The entire group looked on as shock washed over them. The water fall pounded down and bounced echoing booms against the surrounding mountains. Bella disappeared through the thin clouds and out of her peers' frightened sight like a stone dropped from the cliffs above.

******

Edward's pace left Emmett over a mile behind him by the time Alice and Jasper collided into him in one of the denser parts of the forest.

"Where?" Edward shouted. "You saw her fall. Where did you see her fall?" He demanded, grabbing Alice by her frail shoulders.

"Falls Creek Falls." Alice complied. "Be discreet, Edward!" she shouted after him, for he had already left his siblings the very instant the location left her lips. "The humans are with her!"

Falls Creek was five miles away. Edward became a pale purple haze, blurring through the trees in the darkness. He obscured his thoughts to keep the distorting fear from surfacing.

_Get to her_, he repeated to himself. _Just get to her_.

He heard the waterfalls before he had even neared its base. In a steady string of minutes that felt like an entire night had already passed, he finally felt the wet rocks beneath them as he practically flew over them. Freesia scents burst through the rain. He smelled her. She had climbed these rocks.

Edward scrambled to the top of the cliff like a bolt of electricity. He ran now, emerging from a cluster of trees only to fling himself into the air. He landed several yards onto the extreme edge of the cliff and bounced off like he was on a spring. Large rocks broke away from under the pressure of his liftoff. And then he was flying. Diving down the length of the cascading water. Swifter than a free-fall itself, he sped down until he broke the surface of the water.

"What the hell was that?" Mike shouted. The anxious group was frantically climbing back down when they saw the blur come from the sky.

"It looked like a meteor or something." Eric called out in awe.

"I don't care. We just need to get down from here," Jessica shrieked.

"We need to get to Bella," Angela cried. The four friends scrambled as fast as they safely could down the mountain, unaware of the vampire, Edward, retrieving a thoroughly soaked, motionless Bella from the depths of the icy mountain water.


	2. The Chill in My Bones

She had lost her warmth. Bella's skin was thin-ice gray and it almost glowed as it absorbed the chilling moonbeams of the night. She felt unbearably cold to Edward. He placed her limp form down into the muddy banks as a strangled sob of helplessness threatened to erupt from his throat. He flashed to memories of medical training that he encountered on account of Carlisle. The most basic training. CPR. He struggled with his fear another second; it was proving to be his greatest adversary yet. Gulping back a panic that Edward Cullen had only ever felt since Bella had entered his world, he bent over her, tilted her head back, and pressed his cold lips to her equally frigid ones. Breathe.

And breathe she did. Edward gazed up into the night, trying desperately to calm his wound-tight senses. Bella began sputtering, and when she gasped in deep breaths of air, Edward cradled her static form off of the ground. He thanked the heavens her body had not been as stubborn as she herself had proven to be. She wasn't unconscious for long, he hoped. He ran long fingers through her now mangled hair. She was breathing his name now and weakly clutched at the sides of his shirt as she tried to embrace him.

"Bella, are you all right?" He tilted her face so that she stared straight into his eyes. She flinched fearfully; Edward didn't know why. "Are you all right?" He repeated with a pronounced sense of urgency. She nodded meekly and he released a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

"You're so cold." He slid his hand across her forearm and felt a shudder vibrating through her. He wrenched his hand back. He wrenched his entire body back, panicked. Bella fell back slightly from his release but was regaining her strength and so sat up on her own. Her lips trembled, and he watched her teeth do something he had never seen them do. They chattered furiously. He was mesmerized by this physical reaction, if only for an instant.

"I – I can't warm you," he whispered as quietly as if he had only been speaking to himself. He torturously kept his hands fisted up and against his clinging, wet pants. "Are you sure you're all right? Does anything hurt?"

"No. No, I'm okay now. I'm okay now." She reached for him again, but he leaned back to avoid interception. Her face fell at this action and fear flowed into her expression once again. "I'm really okay, Edward. It's over." When she reached again, he didn't budge, and so she clasped her shaking fingers onto the edges of his jacket.

"You need to get to the hospital. I'm sorry that it will be so cold … That _I _will be so cold. It's not good for you. But it's the fastest way." He seemed as though he was talking himself into the idea, but finally decided to fully embrace her again. He brushed his lips to her wet head so gently that Bella wasn't sure if he had kissed her or not. He scooped her up into the strength of his arms and stood up in the same smooth motion.

"I'm not going to the hospital," she insisted. Edward rolled his eyes in exasperation, preparing to ignore her stubborn demand.

"Take her to Carlisle," a light voice drifted on the air from the large tree several feet away. Alice stepped out with Jasper directly behind her. They approached. "You'll be fine, Bella," Alice agreed.

"Carlisle can take care of her," Jasper stated and came to rest his hand on Edwards arm, silently urging his brother to succumb to calmness. He held up a jacket and heavy blanket with his other hand. Bella lifted her weary head from Edward's shoulder enough to gaze questionably at the convenient items.

"Alice knew you'd need them," Jasper said simply. Bella nodded.

"I'll help her out of those clothes," Alice insisted as Edward gingerly released Bella from his arms. He didn't loosen his grip, though, until he felt her regain balance and straighten up. He then stepped back a full pace and silently allowed Alice to take over. He noticed a faint blush creep back into Bella's cheeks and a surprising swell of joy ballooned through his chest. She had felt colder than one of his own kind this night. She _looked_ like one of them too. Her normally light skin had gone as nightmarishly pale as death. Yes, she had frightened him to his core on this night.

Bella silently went behind the thickest shrubbery with Alice and peeled her clothes off as quickly as she could. The violent tremors coursing through her body handicapped her, however, and Alice had to reach over several times to help Bella remain upright as she removed each article of clothing.

"Emmett went to the others to inform them that Jasper found you and is taking you home. They know you're safe." Alice informed her.

Bella nodded, grateful that there had been no mention of Edward. Only so many times could he show up out of nowhere without calling a certain attention to himself.

Alice smiled as she helped pull Bella's arms through one of her layered tops that she had just stripped off of her own body.

"Thank you, Alice." Bella slid the jacket on next, and then Alice wrapped her in the heavy brown blanket she had retrieved from their jeep. She could not remember ever being this cold in her life.

"Let's get you back to our house."

"Alice," Bella stopped her. "I think I really scared Edward."

"You did," Alice agreed simply as she eyed the human's trepid face.

"Now, I'm the one scared. I'm scared that … that I'm too much for him, and that … he'll leave."

Alice swallowed harshly as her face became stoic for a moment. She did nothing else but smile warmly and coax her back to Edward and Jasper.

"Don't think like that," she encouraged. "You've got a long night ahead of you and Edward's not going to let you out of his sight.

Bella allowed herself to follow Alice but would not stop wondering if Alice had seen any future events that would confirm her fears. Would she tell her if she had?


	3. The Clash Concerning Fate

"I run off where the drifts get deeper  
Sleeping Beauty trips me with a frown  
I hear a voice you must learn to stand up for yourself  
Cause I can't always be around

He says when you gonna make up your mind  
When you gonna love you as much as I do  
When you gonna make up your mind  
Cause things are gonna change so fast"

~*~

(lyrics from "Winter" – song by Tori Amos)

Hours drifted in silence. Once. Maybe twice, Bella stirred on the couch. Edward watched intently from across the room. Her heavy, rhythmic breathing would return soon after and time continued to pass. Edward never moved. Esme slipped in and out of the living room, a careful expression held tight to her features. She kept glancing at Edward's clenched jaw, his pursed lips … his turmoil that played openly on the recess of his face. _Bella's quite comfortable_, she thought to him. Edward made no movement to acknowledge her. He remained a statue in the dim light.

His siblings debated fervently in the den on the other side of the spacious home. Alice paced. Emmett stared at the ground. Jasper's attempt to alter everyone's mood was quickly thwarted by a threatening glare sent from a fuming Rosalie.

"This is unfair, and you all know it. We've protected her and put the family at risk. With her track record, it's only a matter of time before it happens again. She's a walking hazard."

"Rosalie, please."

"No, Emmett. Do not cross me on this. How can you not see the red flags surrounding this girl?"

"We have no other choice. This is what Edward wants," Jasper explained.

"He can't choose her over his family! She will inadvertently find a way to bring trouble to our doorstep."

"Who said there must be a choice?" Emmett interjected. "If she's one of us, we won't have anything to worry about."

"You know where Edward stands on that. He won't change her."

"If he is going to be selfish, Jasper, I'll simply put an end to that. That's it. I'll change the troublemaker myself and be done with this nonsense," Rosalie muttered in frustration. She pulled the golden waves of hair up and off her shoulder, securing them into a loose ponytail.

Alice's eyes went wide before she grabbed Rosalie's shoulder harshly. "Don't do something so stupid, Rosalie," she warned darkly.

"It's what's best for everyone."

"Edward will leave us," Alice said achingly. Her sad eyes moved slowly back and forth, and the others watched as she shifted through the images flashing in her mind. Rosalie shook her arm free and waited, though still set to retrieve the sleeping human girl in the other wing of the room.

"Edward will never forgive us. He'll never be the same. We'll never see him again. No, we can't. We must not interfere." Alice was adamant. Rosalie sighed ferociously in defeat. Emmett was at her side quickly.

"We can't lose Edward," Rosalie agreed solemnly.

The heavy oak door swung open, and Edward stormed inside, an infuriated growl roughly falling out of his mouth. His angry eyes focused in on Rosalie.

"You," he spat. "You. Will. Not." He punctuated each word with a sharp pause. Pure fury bubbled freely from his being, and not even Jasper could shield Rosalie from its scorch. Rosalie stood, taken aback.

"You are not to be near Bella again." He glared now. Rosalie swallowed before managing a slight nod of her head. Emmett grabbed her hand and whisked her out of the room. Jasper stared with his large, always pained – but gentle – eyes. Alice looked helplessly to Edward, who was still too hurt to speak further. Then, they dispersed, and utter silence fell over the Cullen home for the rest of the night.

*****

Bella was first aware of the heat radiating throughout her body. Before her mind emerged from a foggy sleep – before she was aware enough to open her eyes – she relished in the warmth that engulfed her. She sighed contently. Soon, though, she dragged her eyes open and blinked away the haze.

Edward was crouched in the corner across the room. He looked her over with a hopeful gaze but seemed intent on waiting for her to be the first one to speak.

"Morning," she mumbled bashfully. He watched her slender wrist as she raised her hand to rub her eyes.

"Morning," he mimicked. He continued to stare.

"What time is it?"

"Almost ten. How do you feel?" He watched as she pulled the blanket up to cover her now sitting form.

"Good. Heated blanket, huh? I like it." She stared down at her bundled, cross-legged limbs hiding beneath the layer of warmth.

"What did you dream about?" he asked, and she glanced up momentarily.

"What did I say?" she blushed just a little, and Edward smirked.

"Nothing. This time anyway."

"Uh. I'm not sure I remember. Umm," she bit her bottom lip in an effort to hide an embarrassed grin. "Cotton candy, I think. I was on a ferris wheel and I was, um, feeding you cotton candy. It was blue."

Although he hadn't meant to, he abruptly laughed. His whole face lightened and Bella looked relieved at the sight.

Carlisle walked in; he wore his white coat, which signified to Bella that he was on his way to the hospital. "How are we this morning, Bella?"

"I feel good."

"Yes. She very nearly drowned, and yet she dreams of sweets and carnivals," Edward scoffed lightly, but Bella noticed his smile tightened at his own mention of last night's accident.

"Well, it's good to hear. Take it easy today, though." Carlisle patted her shoulder sincerely and walked at a normal pace to the door. Bella noticed that Edward's family tried to act very … human … in her presence. She smiled inwardly at their efforts, however unneeded they were. "I should be home by nine," he called out and then he was gone.

"Breakfast's ready, Bella," Esme called from the kitchen. Edward followed Bella to the adjacent room.

"Have I told you how much I enjoy cooking?" Esme beamed from across the kitchen island. "I made a pesto omelet for you this morning." Her voice was both amused and proud of her creation.

Bella thanked her earnestly as she sat down and began to scoop the hot egg into her mouth. It was unsurprisingly perfect. Edward leaned against the counter, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Moments later, Esme sensed their need for privacy and abruptly excused herself to find Alice and Jasper outside.

After a long minute of silence, Bella asked, "Would you please join me?"

She softly pushed out the chair across from her with her foot. Edward crossed the kitchen and slid smoothly into the seat. His elbows came to rest on the table and his hands folded together, tucking themselves under his chin.

"So what's the plan for today?" She speared another piece of egg.

"You, after spending last night at Angela's," he reminded her of where her dad thought she was. "…are going home. I'm sure you have yet to email your mother since last week. She'll be expecting some quality phone time with you today, I assume."

"I know you keep avoiding me. But I'm not sure why," she blurted out with a tone more aggravated than she had intended. Edward did not flinch.

"Why were you hiking in the rain, on those slippery rocks so close to a cliff like that?" He seriously wanted to know.

"I don't know. I didn't think it would have been that hard of a hike."

"It was stupid," he said, matter-of-factly. For as good as the food was, she wasn't hungry after that moment. She shot up from her seat and carried her plate to the sink. She rinsed the food away and grasped a towel to wipe the counters. The area was clean, but she wanted a task to occupy herself.

"You know that, don't you? What a stupid position you put yourself in?"

"Edward, stop saying stupid, I –" she had just shoved her hand down onto the front burner of the oven. A singe of pain caused her to rip her hand right back off and cradle it in her other one. Her features sharpened and Edward flew to her side. Her hair blew back slightly from the breeze his movement made. "I burned my hand. I think the oven is still on."

Edward reached to the knob and sure enough, it had not fully clicked off. Bless Esme for her effort, but her experience with the oven was still an unaccustomed conquest. He pulled her hand free of her own tight grip and slid his cool palm over the reddening skin. He felt her body react in relief at the sensation. He kept their hands together and looked into her face.

"Edward. It's just a burn. And it's a small one." She rolled her eyes, exasperated at his ever emerging concern.

"No hurt is small to me. Human limitations are still so fragile to me." He explained.

"You must be more careful, because I can't always be around to watch out for you. Quite frankly, Bella Swan, I sometimes wonder how you ever survived to reach your seventeen years." He grinned and a rare giggle escaped Bella's lips.

"You could change that for me, you know. The fragile side of me," she hinted, suddenly timid. She knew the water she now treaded was tricky. Edward let go of her hand.

"Am I not enough for you, Edward? You would want to spend only a fraction of your immortality with me?"

"It is not that, and I must make you understand that. For all my capabilities, why can I not get you to see all that I see in you? Why, Bella?" Edward actually shook his fist.

"Then let me choose my fate."

"Although you seem so much more than just seventeen to me, you are still too young to truly understand the sacrifice you seek. Bella, things change. You can say you are sure until you're blue in the face, but you _cannot_ be sure how you will feel next year or even next month."

"Edward," Bella spoke, trying hard to control her expression. She wanted to be careful that he didn't see her anger and attribute it to the immaturity she was sure he saw in her.

"I'm not doing this to anger you," he spoke in a calmer tone than he usually carried when discussing this subject with her. "I'm doing this to spare you from a life I still cannot come to terms with. Immortality is not a gift. Your humanity is too big a price for such a curse."

She shook her head, knowing Edward would say no more about the subject. The passion that flowed through her was something that Edward couldn't sense. He could not read her mind.

_He can't understand that I know the difference_, she lamented to herself. _He can't feel that I know_.

Bella was right. Edward could not sift through her thoughts like every other being - human or not - that he had ever come across. He could not understand that she _did_ know the difference between infatuation and love.

Thousands of miles away but ever approaching, a darkness thundered. It was coming, and it had nothing but hatred for infatuation and love. It had nothing but hatred for a lot of things, but most significantly, hatred for Edward Cullen.


	4. The Secret Plan

Bella sat down in the damp grass and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She waited.

It was a foggy morning, and it had rained all of the previous night. Her sneakers touched the last stretch of earth. Another centimeter before her was a newly formed murky pond at the edge of the forest. The muddy water formed a crescent shape and was half the size of a typical swimming pool. It sprung up over night as a result of the onslaught of rain. She wondered how deep the center was. Looking around, she could only see gray and green. Gray sky and brimming green forest met with rolling green grass. She tapped the surface of the water with the tip of her shoe to amuse herself, focusing on the ripples circling out from the impact.

"Bella," a musical whisper came.

When Bella looked up, she saw Alice standing on the other side of the pond. She waved. Before Bella could stand up, Alice had leaped across the body of rain water and was landing gently beside her. Alice grabbed Bella's hand and helped her finish straightening out. Bella fought off a sigh of intimidation. Vampires. They seemed to make every human action - even one as simple as standing up - seem like such a struggle compared to the effortless grace they exuded.

"Thanks for meeting me so quickly."

"You said it was important over the phone. So what is it?" Bella asked as Alice guided her closer to the trees and away from the pond and the open grassy area.

"Edward needs to leave town," Alice spoke swiftly. When Bella's eyebrows twisted uncomprehendingly, she continued. "He needs to leave now."

That dreadful panic came back to play. It slammed through her small body and pushed her expression into one of fear. Her mouth felt immediately dry and seemed unable to form a response, though she tried anyway. "Wh-Wha...He can't just leave!" The words finally came, and they fell loudly from her lips. Alice didn't flinch.

"He must."

"Has he already left? Did he ... did he have you tell me for him?" Bella asked. She felt a repulsed trepidation now.

"No, he didn't. I came on my own, Bella. I came on my own because Edward doesn't know anything about this."

"I don't understand."

"The less you understand the better. I had a vision, and something's coming. I don't know what it is, but this darkness is locked on finding Edward."

"Why would anyone want to hurt Edward?" Bella asked, a fear completely distinct from Edward abandoning her now rolled throughout her tightened muscles.

"I don't know, Bella. But this ... this thing is coming. It gets closer to Forks as we speak. I've ran all the possible actions through my head. You need to go with Edward. Take him away for the weekend. As far as you can. Tell him nothing about this, or he will not let you go. But you have to go, Bella. You have to or it will use you to get to him." Alice spoke so rapidly and so softly, Bella struggled to follow. The words reached her shaky thoughts seemingly long moments after Alice had spoken them.

"I'll stay in contact by cell phone. I've already packed a suit case for you. It's waiting inside of Edward's car. He's at the house. I'll stay away until you leave. I don't want him to read any of what's going on. He will not let you go if he knows," Alice warned again, looking deeply into Bella's eyes. She seemed to be trying to judge Bella's ability to lie convincingly.

She sighed with relief. Bella _would_ lie, and she would lie as good as an Oscar winner, because she was protecting Edward. "No time to waste. You must be out of town before dark."


	5. The Departure from Forks

Edward was still writing furiously in an open journal when Bella entered his room. His hand moved back and forth more quickly than her eyes could. She meandered awkwardly behind him and touched his shoulder.

"Hello," he said quietly as he turned around and grinned. She was unexpected tonight. "Does your father know you're here?" he asked.

"Actually, Charlie agreed to let me join Jessica and Angela and the others. They're going on a road trip to Colorado. Jessica's aunt has a condo in Dillon."

"When did this come about?" Edward stood and crossed the room to stare out of his open French doors. The afternoon was dim. His face was set in an attempt of calmness, but the tightness in his lips betrayed any sense of calm at all.

"They've been planning it for weeks. I want to go with you, though. I think a trip out of town would be nice. You know, fun."

When Edward remained silent, she closed the space between them and slowly rested her cheek against his back. She thought of the best reason for him to join her. Finally, she decided to beckon his protective nature.

"I feel safe with you. Please, come." She swallowed harshly and wondered just how close this monster that Alice feared actually was. She felt the strong urge to rush but refused to let her urgency surface. Instead, she circled his waist with her arms and waited.

"You make refusing you so difficult, you know that?" Edward said. Bella couldn't see his face but she heard the smile in his voice.

"Let's just take off then. I'm already packed. My stuff's in the back of your car. Let's go." Edward spun around swiftly, forcing Bella to release him. Oops. She spoke with too much speed, too much necessity. She sounded too determined. Damn.

"What exactly is going on, Bella?"

"Nothing's going on. The others have already left hours ago. I don't want to be far behind." She wasn't lying. Her classmates actually were embarking on a road trip to Colorado and had already left. Bella had just declined their offer for her to join them over weeks ago. Small detail. Edward didn't seem convinced, though. He gazed down at her, scrutinizing.

"Honestly, I just want to be with you," Bella blurted out. "I want to experience a road trip with my boyfriend. You want me to experience a human life. Well, this is a normal, human thing to do. It could go a long way in convincing me that living out my life as a mortal with you is what's best."

Okay, that was a lie. Bella's words seemed to stimulate an emotion in Edward, though. He seemed almost hopeful, and Bella seemed almost crushed over his desire to keep her on track with time, almost urging her to grow older and further away from him.

Edward's eyes danced thoughtfully before he finally nodded his head of thick coppery hair. "What are we waiting for then?"

*****

"When are you returning?" Jasper asked as Edward closed the passenger door after Bella had jumped in. Edward looked to Bella, apparently wondering over the same question.

"Uhm, it shouldn't be longer than a week." Bella was chewing on her lip as Jasper stared down at her. His extra sense seemed to pick up on the anxiety radiating from within her. Edward shrugged and walked around the car. Jasper felt only waves of excitement coming from him.

It was true. Edward was excited. He had never been on an actual road trip and he would get to spend the next twenty-two hours alone on the highways with Bella. He relished this time and decided to set it aside in its own little bubble. This bubble would not be burst with talks of either his immortality or her lack of it. No, this bubble deserved to float safely for just this time. When they returned to Forks, they could return to reality.

"Remind Alice to call us," Bella muttered as nonchalantly as she was capable of. She looked down at her lap and fiddled with the sterling ring on her right hand and so missed the slight tilt of Jasper's head as his eyes bored into her.

"Why are you worried?" Edward asked Jasper, leaning over so that he could see out of Bella's window. Bella did a superb job in suppressing an almost certain gasp. Edward was reading Jasper's thoughts now. She turned to Jasper with pleading eyes.

Jasper seemed pained at the harsh vibration of emotions that flowed through Bella. Desperation. Guilt. Trust. Fear. Uncertainty. They all seemed to collide into each other and create a gray ball of pressure inside of him. Her eyes finally won him over, though. He wanted to trust the girl, and so he dropped his gaze from her and cleared his mind, a task he had worked hard to master over the years of knowing Edward.

"I am not worried at all," he said simply and smiled. He patted the car as a goodbye and turned away, focusing on a center of blankness as Edward and Bella pulled away. He felt a huge push of relieved gratitude hit him and he knew it had come from Bella. The feeling lingered with him in the driveway even as the couple drove further and further from the house. He continued to discipline his thoughts, keeping them from straying back into worries over the fear exuding from Bella. Edward was not far enough away to be unable to read thoughts. Jasper began to run in the opposite direction to begin his search for Alice.


	6. The Travelling Companions

Edward and Bella approached Portland under a rapidly fading sky three and a half hours after leaving Forks. Bella had tried not to speak much, afraid she would slip and reveal the true reason they were miles away from home. She kept her elbow on the car door and propped her head up as she watched the blurring landscapes.

"I'm impressed." Edward broke another spurt of silence. "You haven't once commented on my driving." His grin sparkled when she turned to him.

"You can go faster, you know," she encouraged with a shrug of her shoulders. Play it cool.

"Dare-devil, Bella. Since when did you become so brave when it concerns me behind the wheel."

"I trust you," she said simply.

He reached across the seat and clasped her knee. Then, he exited the highway.

"What are you doing?" Bella perked up.

"Getting you something to eat."

"Actually, I'm fine. I'm not hungry so let's just keep going."

Edward raised his eyebrows at her but continued on the current route. He stopped at the red light. "You seem tired too. Shall we find a hotel?"

"No. I can just sleep in the car. Don't stop."

Edward scowled now. He detached his hand from her knee and stared intensely into Bella's determined eyes as if deciphering something. She flushed under his scorching glare. He started to speak but then stopped himself, restraining an urge.

After a moment of controlled silence, he growled, "We'll continue a while longer."

Bella's heart fell when she recognized the ribbons of hurt laced in his expression before he turned away.

*****

"I don't understand what you speak of," Carlisle said with frustration. He sat at the great dining room table, surrounded by Esme and four of his five adopted children.

"How can you not see what he looks like?" Emmett asked incredulously.

"Because it's not a he. Or a she," Alice tried explaining. She sounded flustered. Jasper grasped her forearm; he stroked her pale skin as she continued.

"I see black smoke that moves faster than the wind. I see bright red eyes dancing in it, but no form or body. I hear its voice - pure evil - calling Edward's name. 'Edward Cullen' it keeps saying. Over and over again."

"Could it be some sort of demon?"

"I have not seen nor heard of one roaming lands in well over two-hundred years, but it just might be, Esme." Carlisle answered his wife and stroked his chin apprehensively.

"What does it want with Edward?"

"I don't know. But it reaches out for him even now. His power seems to extend past his haze."

"I can sense a dark presence now," Jasper agreed. "It lingers in the air, and it feels both close and far away. There is a feeling of longing."

Rosalie dug herself deeper into Emmett's burly arms upon hearing Jasper's chilling words. She glanced around as if she would see the evil spirit they spoke of. She saw only the domestic space they called home. Beige shelves and warm wood floors. Silence and starry night skies behind perfectly clear glass windows. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"It's reaching for him," Jasper said again.

*****

Bella's eyes stung tiredly, but she was physically unable to sleep. The car hummed quietly and she fidgeted with the dark wisp ends of her hair, all too aware of the brooding Edward behind the wheel. He hadn't spoken since they had pulled back onto the highway two hours ago. She would glance over only to find the same hard look on his face. He was truly a statue in the new moonlight. His profile was strong, beautiful. But it pained Bella, because he was upset.

"Are you going to tell me?" he asked, abruptly cutting off the long silence. He looked away from the white dashes on the road and stared at her. She waited, unsure.

"Are you going to tell me," he repeated, "Why we're _really _going to Colorado?" The words were succinct. Pronounced. Formed with hurt.

Bella pushed herself further into her seat, wishing she could dissolve into the fabric and disappear.

"The condo in Dillon. Angela and Jessica are there," she mumbled half-heartedly. It really was of no use anymore. She knew now that Edward was aware of an ulterior motive. She jerked in surprise when Edward pounded his fist on the steering wheel.

"I am not ignorant, but ... I must be. You lied to me, and I believed you."

"Edward...."

"You've been on edge the entire trip. You don't want to stop for anything at all. What is going on? Does your father know you are gone? You aren't running away, are you?"

"No. Not from Charlie."

"Because if you think running away together will solve any of our problems," Edward began. "If it would, I would have taken you away a long time ago, Bella." He was solemn. "I'm sorry I have to be so harsh all the time."

"It's okay.... I didn't want to lie. It's been killing me."

"Then don't. Not to me. Ever. I'm surprised how much it hurts."

"It's my turn to protect you, Edward." She allowed her slender fingers to touch his wild hair. He closed his eyes but still managed to drive perfectly straight.

"Something's wrong." Edward's voice was barely above a whisper now. He leaned his head into her hand. He asked a question. "Can we pull over now?"

The sound of his words made Bella's breath catch in her throat. So soft, so childlike. She felt the car swerving. Sure enough, when she looked out the windshield, they were falling further away from the white dashes in the center of the pavement. The car veered slightly, threatening to thunder off the road all together. Her right arm extended and she merged her hand with his, steadying the wheel.

"Something's wrong," Edward moaned again. "Can we pull over now? Bella, I'm tired."

Lately, Bella had experienced her fair share of panic. But nothing prepared her for those words. Panic was a wrecking ball now, and it had just crashed into her chest. Something _was_ wrong with the beautiful, immortal vampire beside her, for he never slept and was never tired. Ever. Something was wrong.


	7. The Fear Has Begun

Adrenaline took over. Bella's hand released Edward's, and he guided the slowing vehicle off of the pavement and onto the gravel. Before he could park, Bella was crawling on top of him.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked as she maneuvered herself between his body and the wheel.

"We really shouldn't stop." Bella was using her meek body weight and pushing against him, urging him to scoot into her former place. She had already claimed the driver's seat, and Edward reluctantly pushed himself into the now vacant passenger side. She cringed in worry as she watched from the corner of her eye, already pulling back onto the near empty road. His movement looked slightly labored to her. His grace had seemingly diminished.

They were flying down the highway instantly. Edward looked on in shock. Bella was a cautious driver, but now they were approaching eighty-five miles per hour.

"Why can't we stop? Bella, you must tell me what we're doing," he demanded.

"Alice had a vision. She said you were in danger and I had to get you out of Forks."

Edward let out a strangled, half-believing choked laugh. Fear was forming a lump in his throat, however.

"You must have misunderstood. Why didn't you tell me about this? I need to know everything if I'm going to keep you safe."

"No, Edward. Something is looking for _you_. You need to think about protecting yourself and stop worrying about me!"

Edward was clearly angered now. He still doubted that he himself could be in any specific danger, but he sincerely believed that he was putting Bella in harm's way again somehow, simply by being who he was. "Alice should have told me."

"Alice did what she had to do. She's the one that can see the future, remember?"

Edward did not like that Bella seemed so urgent, and he did not like that she was alone with him and so far away from his family. Together, they could protect her. Together, the odds were so much better for keeping Bella safe from whatever threat came to her. But surrounded by nothing but open road and rolling hills, he was Bella's only security. He attempted to focus his thoughts, an action that alarmingly eluded his current capabilities. He needed his family now, for Bella. He couldn't comprehend the foreign feelings forming inside of him, but he tried pushing them down so as to stay connected to reality.

A faint ringing came from below Edward's seat. He reached down and retrieved Bella's phone, flipping it open. He saw that Alice was calling. Everything around him was going on much too quickly. The speeding car. The ringing cell phone. Bella's breathing beside him. A spinning sensation now overcame him. His vision blurred slightly. He looked over to her, confused. These feelings – all brand new, terrifying.

She stared back and worry for him spilled from her face. She took the phone from his hand, letting her fingers linger on his skin longer than they needed to, and then she answered Alice's call.

**********

_I ran out of time, so I had to cut this chapter short. I will update again in a few hours with a new, longer chapter when I get back from closing at work. Thanks. ~Adrienne (Age)_


	8. The Weary

"Go as fast as you can, Bella!"

The call ended and Alice turned back to her family. "She's turning around now. They'll be back in Portland in a couple of hours."

"Will they make it to the airport in time, though?" Rosalie asked.

"They will. This ... thing. It's not moving anymore. It's almost like it is hovering in the area."

"I agree," Jasper stepped in. "I sense a confusion in its darkness. Whatever this demon is, it is not fully aware. It seems only fueled by hatred. Or maybe revenge. I can't quite tell."

"Maybe it can sense Edward, then. It just can't tell if he's still here or not."

"Whatever it's doing," Alice interjected grimly, "it's affecting Edward. Bella said he isn't all right. He's weakened."

Esme brought her hand to her mouth in surprise. Her face was a picture of a mother's panic. "It's reaching him then."

"This demon must be draining his energy. We can't let it get any closer to them," Carlisle declared. He clapped his hands in urgency. "We must track the source of this evil and see what we can do to stop it."

There were no more words exchanged. No wars over what to do next. There was just a family gathering themselves, and together, they set out to protect their own.

*****

Bella was a lot of things. Stubborn and loyal. Small and naive. Conflicted and scared. But none of those things mattered to her as she kept her foot firmly on the gas pedal and sped crazily to the nearest airport, back in Portland. Although they were taking a chance by back-tracking, Carlisle had decided it would be safer in the long run if Edward and Bella could catch a flight further away until they knew better what they were dealing with.

So Bella focused her eyes on the blackness in front of her and decided to be only one thing. The girl that would protect Edward Cullen, her soul mate. Get to the airport. Get on a plane. Get as far away as possible. The night was less scary this way. She had a goal, and she had a plan. Alice said tickets would be waiting for them when they arrived at the airport.

The back of Edward's head rested against the car window. His face was tilted toward Bella, and he let his eyes stare into her. He didn't speak; he merely watched as Bella threw worried glances at him constantly. It was hard to digest. Alice and Bella had lied to him. Bella was caught up in his supernatural problems once again. He was infuriated at his inability to change the situation. Either way, Bella was a part of this now.

"Tell me how you're feeling," Bella asked after a while.

"Angry."

It was Bella's turn to be upset. She glared at him before turning her eyes back over to the road. "No, you're not. You're scared. You're scared that something's going to happen to me."

"Nothing can happen to you, Bella. I ... I would ... I could not bear it."

"I'm scared too. That something will happen to _you_. We need to stay together."

Edward sighed in frustration. "I have not found you after a mere seventeen years. I've waited over a lifetime to feel this - to find you. I will do absolutely anything to keep you safe. That is what's most important here. You don't belong in my battles. You don't belong near me at all," he cursed. A sharp pain shot through his head just then and he gripped at his skull in aggravation, startling the girl beside him.

"Edward, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," he managed weakly. His squinted eyes remained closed for a long moment before he finally released his breath. "It's gone now."

"We're getting closer to ... it." Bella's words seemed to make the very air around them colder.

It was just supposed to be a normal, human event - a road trip. A fun time spent with his girlfriend. A period of time that should not be touched by the dark reality of Edward Cullen's being. It was a bubble of escape.

"My bubble burst," Edward muttered and then laughed tiredly. Bella reached out and brushed her hand along his jaw line in a comforting gesture. She remained silent as she realized that his skin did not give hers its normal icy chill. In fact, Edward was warm.

Edward gazed at the pools of worry in her eyes. The urge to close his own eyes was extreme, and he tried very hard to recall a time during his human existence when he was tired. He could not remember sleepiness, and so he was taken aback by its strong beckoning. He vaguely felt Bella's fingers wrap around the back of his neck and gently pull him. He succumbed and let her hand guide his head down to her lap. He knew he should remain upright. He knew he should stay awake and completely alert. Instead he called himself selfish and relished in the newfound comfort of Bella's thighs. She stroked his hair and he groaned in satiation.

"I'm so tired," he muttered.

"Then sleep," Bella whispered. The highway hummed smoothly. The moon fell behind a stray cloud.

Bella's name was the last word uttered breathlessly from his lips before Edward fell into his first slumber in over eighty long years.


End file.
